Doctors wanted: Nigeria’s healthcare crisis in numbers

Imagine a bustling city where the number of people seeking medical attention far exceeds the number of available healthcare facilities. This scenario is a reality in Nigeria, where 38,824 operational healthcare facilities serve a staggering 235 million citizens. That’s one hospital or clinic for every 5,900 Nigerians, a ratio that paints a vivid picture of the country’s healthcare challenges.

According to the Nigeria Health Facility Registry (HFR), these healthcare facilities include both public and private institutions, with public facilities making up 72.3% of the total. Despite this considerable number, the healthcare system is under significant strain, underscoring a pressing need for more resources and better infrastructure.

As of December 17, 2024, Nigeria’s population has surged past 235 million. This growth has further exacerbated the pressure on the healthcare system, even though the government invested ₦4.55 trillion in healthcare from 2019 to 2024. Yet, this substantial investment hasn’t been enough to meet the country’s healthcare needs, highlighting chronic underfunding.

A critical shortage of medical professionals

Adding to the woes is the acute shortage of medical professionals. Nigeria has only one doctor per 10,000 people, with fewer than 24,000 doctors available for its massive population. In 2023, Statista ranked Nigeria 157th globally for healthcare quality, placing it behind Equatorial Guinea and just ahead of Angola. This ranking underscores the dire need for more healthcare professionals and better healthcare facilities.